Parable Archives - Christian Questions Bible Podcast

As Christians who are to walk by faith and not by sight, the statements Jesus made about having faith as a mustard seed are sure appealing. In Luke, Jesus says faith like a mustard seed can uproot a tree and toss it into the sea. In Matthew, he said mustard-seed faith can move a mountain and make nothing impossible for us! So, what did Jesus mean? Obviously, he was using picture language, but he was still showing us that mustard-seed faith can dramatically change our lives. Why a mustard seed and how does this work? What do we need to do to have such a strong and foundational faith that the obstacles of our lives will be diminished before us?

The disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith after hearing difficult teachings about forgiveness and accountability. Jesus’ response to their request was the mustard seed analogy. His purpose was not to highlight minimal faith, but rather to illustrate faith’s capacity to grow and overcome great obstacles.

In related teachings, Jesus used the phrase “you of little faith” on four separate occasions. Applying these lessons in the order they were given reveals a progressive development of our mustard seed faith:

Magnitude: In calming the storm (Matthew 8), Jesus showed that mustard seed faith must recognize the vast power of God. The disciples had faith but lacked confidence.

Practicality: In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6), Jesus taught that this kind of faith should relieve anxiety by trusting in God’s provision.

Deliverance: Peter walking on water (Matthew 14) demonstrated that mustard seed faith enables us to step out in trust, even if we falter. Jesus’ rescue of Peter showed compassionate support for growing faith.

Guidance: When the disciples misunderstood Jesus’ warning about leaven (Matthew 16), he corrected them, urging spiritual discernment over physical concerns.

This kind of faith must be nurtured, tested and matured. It begins small but is rooted in the right foundation: God’s truth and Christ’s example. Mustard seed faith is all about transformation, starting small but growing strong through life’s trials and divine guidance.

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Jesus said, “Many are called but few are chosen” in Matthew 22:14. For many Christians, these words of Jesus should bring a pause and consider moment. What was Jesus saying here? If we believe “God is love,” and we believe Jesus came as our Savior, do we also believe that everyone outside of Christianity, outside of this call, is lost and gone forever? Is this what Jesus was saying? If so, then how does that square with God being love? Is Jesus saying God is love, but only for the few whom He chooses, and the rest of His human creation are essentially garbage? Isn’t that a massive contradiction? If we are willing to examine this statement by Jesus in the light of Scripture, we will find a completely different answer. What we will find is a logic and a harmony founded upon God’s love AND His justice.

This statement of Jesus appears at the end of the Parable of the Wedding Feast. To properly understand its meaning, we need to connect it with God’s character of love and justice.

Initially, Israel was called to be the sole source of the “stars of heaven”—a spiritual seed that would bless the world. However, national rejection of Jesus meant they forfeited this opportunity. Still, they weren’t permanently cast off; they remain essential to God’s plan as the “sand of the seashore,” the natural seed who will bless the world on earth.

The parable illustrates God’s persistent calling to those who could become true disciples of Jesus:

This teaches us that discipleship is not based on heritage but on being drawn by God. The “many” called spans time, culture and background, but the chosen are those who respond fully to the invitation.

Discipleship requires self-denial, daily sacrifice, transformation and leaving behind worldly attachments. Like wedding guests required to wear the provided garment, those called must be “clothed” in Christ’s righteousness. Failing to do so leads to exclusion—not eternal torment, but the sorrow of lost opportunity.

Those who are chosen become part of a “royal priesthood” and “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9), called to reflect God’s character and ultimately bless all mankind.

Importantly, the rest of humanity is not abandoned. Many scriptures point to a future restoration when all people will have opportunity for salvation. The current calling is simply the first phase of a broader redemptive plan that will ultimately fulfill God’s promise to bless all the families of the earth.

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Every Christian will tell you that Jesus is the embodiment of righteousness, compassion and mercy. We all agree that his impact on the world came through his uncompromising actions of selfless love that led to sacrificing himself as a ransom for all of humanity. Couple these actions with his words of encouragement and uplift to any and all who would listen, and you have a model of how God’s love should unfold within humanity. It is with this resume in hand that we need to examine Jesus’ Parable of the Unprofitable Servant. It sounds like the exact opposite of all that Jesus stood for. In this parable, he seems to tell his followers that whatever they do in God’s service is what is expected of them and nothing more. What did Jesus mean? How does this harmonize with the rest of his teachings?

There are a few places in the Gospels we can get a glimpse of Jesus being deeply engaged with crowds of people. In Luke 15, 16 and the first part of 17, Jesus was talking to such a crowd, and it was a very mixed audience. He was addressing the “sinners” and tax collectors, those who were considered undesirables in Jewish society. He was addressing Pharisees and scribes, those who were considered the elite of their society. And right in the middle of these two polarized groups, he was addressing his own disciples.

Jesus took this opportunity and showed them all God’s grand plan of salvation and the roles they would play. How did he do this?

The Parable of the Unprofitable Servant would be the sixth and last of a series of stories that would paint a picture of each of these segments of society. For the tax collectors and sinners, his stories would be encouraging, as they would reveal how God loved them. The Pharisees and scribes found his stories offensive, as they were grossly misusing the privileges God had given them. For his disciples, his stories would be humbling, as they gave them a glimpse of the kind of responsibilities they would come to have relating to the gospel.

This Parable of the Unworthy Servant was spoken directly to Jesus’ disciples. At first reading, it seems to come across as downright discouraging. He seems to be saying, “You are servants of God, and He has given you a long list of chores to do. Just do them and don’t expect to be thanked because they are your job!” Is this the message Jesus had for his disciples as he ended this time of teaching?

Absolutely not! Check out our November 11, 2024 podcast, “Did Jesus Teach That We Are All Unprofitable Servants?” for more. We put this parable into its proper context and see how it was the outgrowth of all of Jesus’ other lessons. The lesson here was actually one of great hope and encouragement. Join us and find out what Jesus was really teaching!

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Most people know something about the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The core thought that is well known is the concept of helping a total stranger in a time of their great physical need. Think about it, there are laws in place to protect those who engage in helping strangers in case something goes wrong, called “Good Samaritan laws.” There are organizations in place to promote these kinds of acts of brotherly kindness. There are ministries and hospitals that bear this name. As wonderful as all this is, the message Jesus was giving when he spoke this parable is far deeper. The bottom line is, if we work on understanding and actually applying his true message, we will learn to become not only true neighbors, but we will also grow to be that much closer to the image of Christ.

During his ministry, Jesus had many conversations with the scribes, Pharisees and lawyers who were experts on the Mosaic Law. On one occasion, one of these lawyers engaged Jesus about inheriting eternal life, which led to a very piercing question. The lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” This query was put in place to attempt to trap him into a theological debate as a way of hopefully exposing a weakness in Jesus. The result was the exact opposite. Jesus took the question and told a story that in the end would settle that debate once and for all.

The story was one of Jesus’ more famous parables about a man who is robbed, beaten and left near death along the road. While walking that road at separate times, a priest and a Levite came upon this beaten and dying man. They both avoided him and continued their journeys. Then a Samaritan man saw him and saved his life. The compassion, kindness and selfless giving this Samaritan showed is inspiring.

The power of this story merely begins with travesty of the priest and the Levite ignoring the wounded man. The parable’s true impact is in the hero of the day being a Samaritan man. This would have been surprising and even repulsive to Jesus’ listening audience. Why? The fact is the Jewish people and the Samaritan people were dire enemies. This mutually divisive opposition developed over several hundred years and for a myriad of reasons. It was so bad that one very dramatic insult among the Jews of Jesus’ day was to say to a fellow Jew that they were a Samaritan and had a demon!

Jesus chose a Samaritan as the hero of the story for many powerful reasons. Check out our recent podcast, “What Does Being a Good Samaritan Really Mean?” for more. We not only detail the rivalry between these two peoples, we also dive into all of what Jesus was teaching about being a true neighbor. Join us as we uncover the priceless treasures of what being a “neighbor” really means. This is one lesson that we all need to hear and apply!

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One of the great Christian challenges of our day is living a God-honoring life in a world that basically thinks you’re nuts. What role should our differences with the world around us play in how we do or don’t fit in with all that goes on each day of our lives? What specific principles do we have that govern our thoughts words and deeds to keep us godly and yet approachable? Jesus’ Parable of the Wineskins answers this. This parable is part of a specific answer Jesus gave to a specific question. His answer also included two other very simple parables. As we will see, these three short examples combine to teach some important lessons relating not only to prophetic events, but to our personal behaviors and choices as well.

They had followed the fearless and dynamic preaching of John for Israel to repent of their sins, and now their leader was in prison. Some of John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked him why his followers did not engage in fasting and mourning as they did. This was an important question and Jesus would give them an important answer. However, in his typical fashion, Jesus did not simply answer their question. On the contrary, he took this opportunity and crafted it into a powerful teaching moment, not just for John’s disciples but for his own followers as well.

Jesus’ answer to John the Baptist’s troubled disciples was clear and likely not what they expected to hear. He told them that it was not appropriate for his own disciples to fast, even though John was in prison. Jesus saw that John’s disciples needed to expand their understanding. They needed to realize that Jesus’ very presence was the greatest age-changing event that had ever happened. They needed to see that the joy of having Jesus with them far exceeded any sorrow they were feeling. He compassionately taught them this truth by speaking three very short parables.

Jesus’ three stories were simple. The first was about the foolishness of patching an old garment with cloth from a new one and ruining both. The second was about the folly of fermenting new wine in old wineskins and the disaster of that old skin bursting to the ruin of all. The third simple story was about not wanting to try new wine because you are comfortable with the old. All three of these stories were about leaving behind something that had value for the sake of moving on to something of much greater value. John’s disciples needed this message – and so do we.

Check out our August 22, 2022 podcast, “Am I Putting New Wine in Old Wineskins?” for more. As powerful as the age-changing message of having Jesus with them was, Jesus’ message in these parables is no less potent to us. Join us for a revealing reality check. It may change the way you see your Christian life!

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Talking about the Day of Judgment can be difficult. The sad truth is that as magnanimous as the love and mercy of God through Jesus are, the opportunity to fail throughout the Day of Judgment will be very real. God created humanity with free will. The Day of Judgment will be about teaching our race how to use that free will to make righteous choices that lead to eternal life. This will require accountability for all and a heartfelt focus on unlearning and renouncing all things sinful. Because these lessons will be based on the enormous firsthand experiences with sin and death we all have in this age, they will be practical, logical, appealing and learnable. Jesus’ Parable of the Sheep and Goats is a picture of the end results of these lessons.

When he spoke any one of his several parables, he always had specific lessons in mind. To teach those lessons he regularly used common, real-life examples as symbols to make his point. The Parable of the Sheep and Goats is a classic example. Jesus was teaching about the often-prophesied future judgment that will come upon all nations of the world. This particular parable was depicting the end of the Judgment Day opportunities to prove humanity’s loyalty to God. It was a story to illustrate the final accounting for each and every human being.

In some regions of the world, sheep and goats look very much the same. Everyone in Israel in Jesus’ time would have been familiar with sheep, goats and the shepherds that cared for them. The most obvious lesson of this teaching? What may look the same can bring diametrically opposed results. Jesus was establishing that the differences between being ultimately in or out of God’s favor would not be easily detectable by outward appearance. So, why use sheep and goats to illustrate this?

In a surprising number of ways, sheep and goats are opposites. As just one example, once sheep are trained, they habitually follow their shepherd. They recognize and respond to his voice, ignoring other voices. To live an eternally righteous life will require adherence to God’s laws through Jesus. It will require being responsive – not to threats – but to the simple direction of the shepherd. Goats, on the other hand, may occasionally heed the shepherd’s voice but are often preoccupied with exploring their own path. This exemplifies a very self-righteous approach and not a humble, godly approach to life.

Check out our July 11,2022 podcast, “Will I Survive God’s Final Judgment?” for more. We compare several characteristics of sheep and goats to see what Jesus was telling us will keep individuals in or out of God’s kingdom. These differences are amazing and revealing. By using sheep and goats as examples, Jesus gives us surprising details as to what each and every person can and should strive for. The bottom line? It’s all about the heart, the very core of each person. Join us and learn how to be sheep!

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As Christians, we are truly blessed. Having given our lives to Jesus, we are assured that all of our experiences are overruled for our best benefit. This is not to imply we can just coast along as though we were given a ticket for some magical ride to heaven riding on fluffy clouds of comfort. On the contrary. Being a Christian is hard. We are expected to work in the service of God through Jesus on a regular daily basis. We are also expected to be accountable for what we do or don’t do. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus shows us that we are given specific work to do for him, and that we have exactly what we need to get the job done. So, the question is, how am I doing? What godly things have I been given to do, and am I daily working at accomplishing them?

In the Parable of the Talents, a master is traveling to a faraway place. He gathers his servants to him and gives them each a large sum of money to work with while he is gone. Upon his return, he demands an accounting of their activity in his absence. To those who have worked profitably, he doles out a generous reward. To those who have not, he doles out a punishment. Jesus is represented by the master in the story. He spoke this parable to prepare his followers for his inevitable departure to heaven.

True Christians are tasked with protecting the integrity of this message while spreading it to the world.

Check out our February 7, 2022 podcast, “What Am I Doing with What God Has Given Me?” for more. We lay out the several aspects of what this entrusted wealth means. The discussion continues about the implications of being given responsibility according to our ability. We address the accusation in the parable that the master is a harsh man. This story is a blueprint for handling our Christian responsibilities and talents. Don’t miss its inspiration and encouragement!

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It is a competitive world out there! I need to focus and to stop at nothing to make my mark. I will apply myself to get the job I want, the life I desire and the status I deserve, while engaging in the leisure and entertainment I crave. Wow! While this description can be of someone who is truly success-motivated and has specific goals, it can also be a warning for us. As Christians, we should applaud motivation. But at the same time, we are alert to fend off the destructive poisons of pride and ego. How do we do both and still have a chance at succeeding in this world? Is it our Christian destiny to be continuously overlooked for that promotion, that opportunity or that position? As usual, applying the Christian principle of humility in this world is bewildering and can be discouraging as well. However, once we get our arms around how Jesus handled this, the whole confusing matter becomes clear!

We know Jesus was a humble man. We also know he was bold. How do those two characteristics work together?  The context of Jesus’ parable about the guests at a wedding was a good example. Jesus was invited to the home of a very influential Pharisee for a Sabbath dinner. While this was an elegant occasion, Luke tells us the Pharisees in attendance “watched Jesus closely.” This meant they were planning on testing him. Jesus handled this test by healing a sick man who “just happened to be there” on the Sabbath while simultaneously silencing his Pharisee observers. Jesus showed them humility by doing what God wanted him to. He showed them boldness by confronting their challenge.

These actions were the beginning of larger lessons on success through humility. As Jesus observed the Pharisees jockeying for the seats of highest honor at this meal, he unfolded the parable. His lesson was simple. Stop presenting yourselves to your peers with a self-proclaimed splendor and instead take a seat of humility. Allow your value to be recognized by others on its own merit. In the end, it will be God who exalts those who are humble – and that is the most important thing.

What can this simple parable of Jesus teach us today about success and humility? If we are willing to look, there are many profoundly practical lessons we can learn. First and foremost is the simple lesson of self-awareness. Know and focus on who we are, and not on what we would like others to think we are. While the concept is simple, executing it in a world full of peer pressure and instant communication is another story.

Check out our May 24, 2021 podcast, “Can Humility Keep Me From Success?” for more. We build on the practicality of knowing who we are and examine current day examples of how to apply it. We explore several other aspects of biblical humility from Jesus’ parable and find surprising practicality for today. Join us to see how success and humility can lead us to living a fulfilled Christian life.

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It is so easy to talk about following Jesus.  After all, he came as our Savior, voluntarily sacrificed his life and opened up the way to heaven for us.  Why wouldn’t you want to align yourself with someone who wipes away your sins and can give you eternity in the process?  It’s a no brainer, right?  Um, not exactly!  Turns out, being a disciple of Jesus is hard work that requires thought, action and results.  It is a conscious decision to be different, to driven by a higher calling than you would naturally follow.  Following Jesus in a selfie world is akin to being a nerdy kid on a football team.  You have plenty to offer but those around you just don’t see your value.  Can a Christian thrive in a world that rewards evil? How do we know what to think, do and become to be sure we are truly following Jesus?  Now that’s easy!  Jesus himself told us…

One of the most amazing things about Jesus calling out individuals to follow him was the fact that he often did things to turn people away.  We always think of Jesus as inviting and kind…and he absolutely was!  The other side of the issue lies in some of the things he said to large crowds who were attracted to him.  In John 6 he said following him required the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood.  In Luke 14 he said that to be worthy of being his disciple, you had to hate your family – your parents, siblings, children and spouse.  Hardly what we would expect to hear from such a caring, wise and inviting leader who was sent by God to save the world, and yet this is what we have.  Why?

It all comes down to discipleship:  What it means to be an actual follower of Jesus, how any actual follower is supposed to think and act and the all important expectations of those who would be led.  It turns out that Jesus spent a lot of teaching time on this very thing.  In Luke 14 immediately after he told everyone to hate their families – now wait – you KNOW that hating your family was not a literal statement, right?  RIGHT?  Anyway, right after that difficult message, Jesus told three stories.  These stories were all illustrations of different aspects of discipleship, beginning with the necessary thought process one should have BEFORE they commit themselves to the cause of Christ.

Check out our April 23, 2018 podcast “What Does Discipleship Cost?” and fill in the gaps.  Unfortunately most of us are not taught the relevant inside story of the costs and blessings of walking in Jesus’ footsteps.  It makes sense that if you are a Christian or are considering becoming a Christian – or even are a skeptic of Christianity – that you get your arms around what discipleship truly means. Frankly, the only way to do this is to grasp Jesus’ own words on the matter.  If you want to know about following, ask the leader!

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A few weeks ago, we began talking about Jesus speaking the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. This was one of the few parables he actually interpreted for his followers. In that interpretation he revealed it was a prophecy about the difficult future of Christianity. He spoke of false Christians and an entire age when the true and false would grow together – outwardly indistinguishable from one another – until the “harvest” time. We traced some of the corrupting influences through the long history of the church and began to see how the gospel was treated (and mistreated) along the way. Jesus, after speaking the Wheat and the Tares Parable, spoke two other parables. We believe they further described corrupted Christianity.  So, what do these other parables tell us? Are we in danger of being deceived? Is the gospel even intact here and now in our present world?

We can begin to get to the core of the issue by saying that although the gospel itself has always remained intact and pure (though often hidden), the generally accepted present representations of that gospel are severely compromised. The fact that this compromise was spelled out in Scripture – and specifically by Jesus himself in the three parables of Matthew 13, (the Wheat and Tares, the Mustard Tree and the Leavened Flour) – makes it all the more dramatic. In some ways, it is all the more surprising. If we were to objectively look (and I know being objective can at times be really difficult) at the way churches operate now and compare that to the way the “church” operated in New Testament times we would actually be horrified. Yup, I said horrified.

Let me voice one major difference that has caused me to be personally disturbed. Many churches and denominations of Christianity have made their church building and its contents into what I believe the Scriptures label as “idols.” Before going further, let me say I have no problem with having a place to meet together to study, learn about and apply biblical Christian principles.  My issue is making the building and its images, paintings and windows objects of worship. And don’t get me started on even having statues as part of all this! There is zero indication in Scripture that Christians should elevate “things” to such a level. On the contrary, there is massive indication in Scripture that idolatry in any form at any time and in any place is abhorrent to God. Because we live 2,000 years after Jesus walked this earth, our present brand of Christianity has over that time adopted Pagan thinking and ritual. Most of us have no clue it even happened!

Check out our February 19, 2018 podcast, “Has the Gospel Been Corrupted? (Part II).” See for yourself as we walk through Jesus’ own description of the corruptions that would plant themselves within Christianity. Follow along as we attempt to be objective (again, that can be a hard thing to do) and list out many of the stark differences between 21st century Christianity and 1st century Christianity. This information may very well change how you view your own Christian faith! Click here for “Has the Gospel Been Corrupted? (Part I)”

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